{"id":2739,"date":"2024-07-16T18:04:53","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T22:04:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/?p=2739"},"modified":"2024-07-16T18:04:53","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T22:04:53","slug":"state-of-the-bible-report-finds-bible-engagement-is-down-but-there-is-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/2024\/07\/16\/state-of-the-bible-report-finds-bible-engagement-is-down-but-there-is-hope\/","title":{"rendered":"State-of-the-Bible Report Finds Bible Engagement Is Down &#8212; But There Is Hope"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_2832\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2832\" style=\"width: 724px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2832\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/452\/2024\/07\/bibleEngagementSM.jpg\" alt=\"Image created in Dall-E for Patheos.\" width=\"724\" height=\"414\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2832\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fewer Americans are reading or otherwise engaging with the Bible, according to new research from the American Bible Society. Image created in Dall-E for Patheos.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Fewer Americans are reading or otherwise engaging with the Bible, according to new research from the American Bible Society, but there is reason for hope.<\/p>\n<p>The downward trend continues to unfold in the newly released chapter 3 of the <em><a href=\"https:\/\/sotb.research.bible\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">State of the Bible report.<\/a> <\/em>But chapter\u00a03 offers hope &#8212; especially among Gen Z adults who frequently engage with the Bible &#8212; the non-profit organization says.<\/p>\n<p>The chapter also \u201chighlights the impact of forgiveness and frequent Bible engagement on improving the overall quality of human life.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The <em>State of the Bible<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The American Bible Society launched its landmark annual study of the <em>State of the Bible<\/em> in 2011. Researchers looking at Americans\u2019 relationships with God, faith and the Bible have consistently found that reading and otherwise engaging with the Bible shape people\u2019s choices and transform their relationships for the better.<\/p>\n<p>Research indicates that people flourish when they engage deeply with the Bible. However &#8230;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Daily, weekly and occasional Bible use is down slightly from last year.<\/li>\n<li>The proportion of people attending church in person has increased each of the last three years.<\/li>\n<li>Almost half of U.S. adults have experienced grief or loss in the past year, which often results in anxiety and trauma.<\/li>\n<li>The groups at highest risk are Gen Z adults and millennials.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Human Flourishing<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Harvard University developed the <a href=\"https:\/\/hfh.fas.harvard.edu\/measuring-flourishing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Human Flourishing Index<\/a> in 2017, and the American Bible Society has been using this research tool since January 2020. Researchers introduced a mid-year survey that year and have tracked \u201cflourishing\u201d every January since then.<\/p>\n<p>They look at the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Happiness<\/li>\n<li>Mental &amp; physical health<\/li>\n<li>Meaning &amp; purpose<\/li>\n<li>Close social relationships<\/li>\n<li>Character &amp; purpose<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>The Latest Key Findings<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Chapter 3 in the\u00a0<em>State of the Bible <\/em>report\u00a0highlights these findings:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Americans experienced a slight drop in their overall Human Flourishing score, but most areas of human flourishing have returned to pre-pandemic levels or slightly higher. Mental and physical health levels continued a two-year decline, which is concerning. But interestingly, Americans\u2019 confidence in their financial and material stability has increased after declining in 2023.<\/li>\n<li>Findings on Gen Z adults (18-to-27-year-olds) reveal that this group has\u2026<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Highest stress levels of any age group<\/li>\n<li>Lowest scores in life\u2019s \u201cmeaning and purpose\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Lowest levels of hope of any age group<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These results aren\u2019t surprising given the stressful decisions that young Americans must make. Decisions such as:<\/p>\n<p><em>What do I want to do with my life? Should I attend college, receive other kinds of training or find a job now? What kind of work do I want to do? Do I want to live with my parents for a while or go out on my own? Do I want to marry? When should I start a family? Do I even want children?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>No wonder Gen Z adults are stressed out.<\/p>\n<p>Gen Z adults lack a strong connection to church, the Bible and God, despite research that shows \u201cfrequent interaction with Scripture is a key component in overall well-being,\u201d the American Bible Society said.<\/p>\n<p>But here is where the organization has found hope in Gen Z adults who <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">engage with Scripture<\/span> (see chapter 3, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/sotb.research.bible\/\">State of the Bible<\/a>)<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Not only do they score higher on the Human Flourishing scale <\/strong>than other young adults who don\u2019t read the Bible \u2013 but<strong> they have the highest score of any generation<\/strong>,\u201d according to John Farquhar Plake, PhD., the American Bible Society\u2019s chief innovation officer and editor-in-chief of the<em> State of the Bible <\/em>series.<\/p>\n<p>Plake added that more research is needed, but these findings suggest \u201cthat the unique challenges keeping young adults from flourishing are countered by a regular connection with God in Scripture.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Chapter 3 also highlights these findings:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The ability to forgive is a key factor when it comes to human flourishing, according to the American Bible Society.<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIndividuals who strongly agree that they can forgive another person, with or without apology, score higher on the Human Flourishing scale than those who strongly disagree,\u201d the organization noted.<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cWithout exception, the more forgiving people are, the more they flourish,\u201d<\/strong> the report noted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Researchers asked people to respond to this statement: \u201cI am able to sincerely forgive whatever someone else has done to me, regardless of whether they ever ask for forgiveness or not.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The group that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">strongly agreed<\/span> with the statement scored 7.7 on the Human Flourishing Index.<\/li>\n<li>The group that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">somewhat agreed<\/span> scored 7.1.<\/li>\n<li>The group that<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"> somewhat disagreed<\/span> scored 6.6.<\/li>\n<li>The group that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">strongly disagreed<\/span> scored 6.0 (See page 57 in the <em>State of the Bible 2024 <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/sotb.research.bible\/\">https:\/\/sotb.research.bible\/<\/a> to learn more.<em>)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s also important to note the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Scripturally engaged group<\/span> scored highest on human flourishing with 7.9. This group also had the highest score in the <em>Meaning and Purpose <\/em>category with 8.3.<\/li>\n<li>Those who are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">open to the Bible but not scripturally engaged<\/span> \u2013 the so-called \u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/latestnews\/2024\/04\/29\/movable-middle-65-million-americans-seek-more-of-the-bible\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Movable Middle<\/a>&#8221; &#8212; scored 7.1 on human flourishing.<\/li>\n<li>The group that is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not biblically engaged<\/span> scored 6.7 in flourishing\/well-being.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These findings are based on a nationally representative survey performed for the American Bible Society by NORC at the University of Chicago. Researchers conducted 2,506 online interviews with American adults from all 50 states and the District of Columbia earlier this year.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Where Do We Go From Here?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The American Bible Society plans to release six new chapters to the 2024 <em>State of the Bible <\/em>report between July and December. The research will look at neighboring, loneliness and philanthropy.<\/p>\n<p>Why does this research matter? American Bible Society CEO Jennifer Holloran DSL explains that her organization believes \u201cthe Bible can transform people and communities through its incredible message of hope and healing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen people choose not to use a resource with such power to change their lives for the better, we want to understand why. Does it not seem relevant to them? Do they have trouble accessing it? Or do they just find it difficult to make it a priority in their increasingly busy lives?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Holloran says that one of the greatest barriers to effective Scripture engagement is people\u2019s lack of unity inside and outside the church &#8212; i.e.,\u00a0unity \u201cin our love for the gospel and our belief that the message of Jesus transforms lives.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The level of Scripture engagement in the United States remains lower than it could be with the right attention,&#8221; she says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is no time for the church to become complacent. We should see this moment of declining Scripture engagement as the time to grow in our ability to work together as the body of Christ,\u201d Holloran adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201dIt\u2019s not just the health of the church that depends on it. It\u2019s millions of individual lives that will otherwise miss out on the transforming power of Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>John Farquhar Plake says, \u201cThe challenge facing all of us in the church is to be the guides that those Bible test drivers (Movable Middle adults) are seeking.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We must work to understand the needs of each person and carefully present them with the hope that is found in God\u2019s Word.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fewer Americans are reading or otherwise engaging with the Bible, according to new research from the American Bible Society, but there is reason for hope. The downward trend continues to unfold in the newly released chapter 3 of the State of the Bible report. But chapter\u00a03 offers hope &#8212; especially among Gen Z adults who&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":689,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[885,882,879,876,888],"class_list":["post-2739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-american-bible-society-research","tag-bible-study-and-well-being","tag-human-flourishing","tag-state-of-the-bible-2024","tag-state-of-the-bible-2024-chapter-3"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>State-of-the-Bible Report Finds Bible Engagement Is Down -- But There Is Hope<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Fewer Americans are reading or otherwise engaging with the Bible, according to new research from the American Bible Society, but there 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